Method, apparatus and system for thermal regeneration

ABSTRACT

A method, system and apparatus for generating energy. The method, system and apparatus can include the generation of exhaust gases in a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine and the transportation of the exhaust gases from the cylinder to a chamber. The method, system and apparatus may also have the steps of storing the exhaust gases in the chamber and transporting the exhaust gases from the chamber to a second cylinder. Further, the method, system and apparatus may allow for pushing, by pressure supplied by the exhaust gases transported to the second cylinder, a piston in the second cylinder to a bottom portion of the second cylinder and the generating of a vacuum through the cooling of the exhaust gases in the second cylinder. Additionally, the method, system and apparatus can have steps for pulling, by the vacuum, the piston to a top portion of the second cylinder and releasing the exhaust gases from the second cylinder.

BACKGROUND

Modern reciprocating engines are cited as being inefficient in boththeir conversion of fuels into energy as well as their general relianceon fossil fuels. Currently the most advanced internal combustion engineshave a mechanical efficiency of only 20%, whereas some hybrid engines,such as engines utilizing both mechanical and electrical power as inhybrid automobiles, only see efficiency of 37%.

The emissions of internal combustion engines, specifically those ofautomobiles and motorcycles, are a known problem and are widelyregulated around the world. The emissions include carbon monoxide andcarbon dioxide, as well as other pollutants that are generated due tothe incomplete combustion of the gasoline in the fuel-air mixture usedin internal combustion engines.

Another form of emission that common internal combustion engines produceis thermal emission. The internal combustion engine is a thermal enginewhich therefore draws thermal energy from a pool of high thermal energyand generates exhaust into a pool of low thermal energy. The heat waste,thermal emissions or exhaust generated by internal combustions enginesis typically exhausted into the surrounding environment. This harms theenvironment in a variety of manners and wastes the thermal heat energy.Additionally, the hotter the thermal waste, the less thermal energy thatwas transformed into kinetic energy, and the more thermal pollution thatis pumped out into the surrounding environment.

SUMMARY

An exemplary embodiment describes a method of reducing emissions andincreasing fuel economy in an internal combustion engine. The method caninclude generating exhaust gases in a first cylinder of an internalcombustion engine and transporting the exhaust gases from the cylinderto a chamber. The method may also have the steps of storing the exhaustgases in the chamber and transporting the exhaust gases from the chamberto a second cylinder. Further, the method may allow for pushing, bypressure supplied by the exhaust gases transported to the secondcylinder, a piston in the second cylinder to a bottom portion of thesecond cylinder and the generating of a vacuum through the cooling ofthe exhaust gases in the second cylinder. Additionally, the method canhave steps for pulling, by the vacuum, the piston to a top portion ofthe second cylinder and releasing the exhaust gases from the secondcylinder.

Another exemplary embodiment may describe a system for generating power.The system can include at least a first cylinder of an engine thatoperates in a four-stroke manner and generates exhaust gases and achamber that receives and stores the exhaust gases generated by the atleast first cylinder. The system may further have at least a secondcylinder of the engine that receives the exhaust gases from the chamberand that has at least a first valve, at least a second valve and apiston, wherein the exhaust gases received from the chamber into the atleast second cylinder push the piston down in the at least secondcylinder and a vacuum generated as the exhaust gases cool in the atleast second cylinder pulls the piston up in the at least secondcylinder to generate rotational force on a crankshaft coupled to the atleast second cylinder.

Yet another exemplary embodiment may be directed to a method of reducingand reusing thermal emissions. This method can include means forgenerating heated exhaust gases and means for storing the heated exhaustgases. Also, in some embodiments, the method may have means fortransporting the heated exhaust gases to a cylinder in an internalcombustion engine as well as means for rotating a crankshaft attached toa piston in the cylinder with the heated exhaust gases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof,which description should be considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary flowchart showing the generation of gases used inthermal emissions regeneration.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart showing the use of gases in thermalemissions regeneration.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram of an engine using thermal emissionsregeneration.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of a cylinder using thermal emissionsregeneration.

FIG. 5 is another exemplary diagram of a cylinder using thermalemissions regeneration.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram of a valve that may be used with thermalemissions regeneration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description andrelated drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention.Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spiritor the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements ofexemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detailor will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of theinvention. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description,discussion of several terms used herein follows.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as“exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments ofthe invention” does not require that all embodiments of the inventioninclude the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.

In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a system, method andapparatus for improving the efficiency of an internal combustion engineare disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, in step 102, following thecombustion stroke in a four-stroke, internal combustion engine, a gas orgases, such as exhaust gases may be forced out of a cylinder into achamber, in step 104. The gases in the chamber may then be directed intoanother cylinder associated with the engine. However, the chamber may berepeatedly filled with gases for any desired amount of time, for exampleas long as an engine is running. Additionally, the generation of exhaustgases or any other type of gases in step 102 may also occur for anydesired amount of time and may be generated by any desired amount ofcylinders. As shown in exemplary FIG. 2, the generated gases may be usedfor any of a variety of reasons, for example moving the piston from atop position to a bottom position in the cylinder into which the gas isintroduced. Thus, the gases in the chamber described with respect tostep 104 above may, in step 202, be transferred to another cylinderassociated with the engine following the opening of an intake valve inthe cylinder. In step 204, the gases that are introduced to the cylinderin step 202 may act to push a piston downwards in the cylinder and, at adesired time, in step 206, an intake valve through which the gasesentered the cylinder may be closed. In step 208 the gases in thecylinder may begin to cool and may generate a vacuum, which may resultin the generation of a force that can pull the piston in the cylinderupwards. At a desired time when the piston is being pulled upwards, instep 210, an exhaust valve may also open to allow for the release of thecooled gases. Step 202 may then be repeated for any desired amount oftime. As described in more detail herein, due to the introduction andsubsequent cooling of the gases in the cylinder, a piston may be cycledthrough two strokes and may turn a crankshaft coupled with the piston.However, these strokes may not require the introduction of a fuel,compression and combustion to cause a piston to move from a top positionto a bottom position to rotate a crankshaft due to the downward pressureexerted on the piston by the introduction of the hot air and the upwardvacuum pressure on the piston after the gases in cylinder sufficientlycool.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the gases may be introduced, in step202, to the cylinder via a valve, for example a valve disposed at a topportion of a cylinder. The valve that is used for the introduction ofthe gases may be a valve that is disposed at a top portion of a cylinderalong with any other of a variety of valves, for example an exhaustvalve, such as that described with respect to step 210. Further, thevalve used for the introduction of the gases in step 202 may be disposedin any location as desired at the top portion of a cylinder provided itdoes not interfere with the functionality of any other valve or anyother component in, for example, a cylinder head. Similarly the valveused for the exhaust of the gases in step 210 may be disposed in anylocation as desired at the top portion of a cylinder provided it doesnot interfere with the functionality of any other valve or any othercomponent in, for example, a cylinder head.

In further examples of the embodiments described with respect to FIGS. 1and 2, the process described above may be utilized with the use of oneor more dedicated thermal regeneration cylinders. For example, in someexemplary embodiments, an engine may have any number of cylinders, suchas four, five, six, eight, ten, twelve or sixteen. In these engines, anumber of cylinders may be used to both supply power to the crankshaftof the engine and to supply gases to other cylinders for thermalemission regeneration.

In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a five cylinder enginemay utilize thermal emission regeneration. The five cylinder engine 300may be any type of engine, for example an inline five cylinder engine300 having a single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder. Otherexemplary embodiments may include any type of engine having multiplecamshafts, for example dual overhead camshafts, and any number of valvesper cylinder, for example three, four or five. On a typical singleoverhead camshaft engine, for example on an engine having two valves percylinder, the rotation of the camshaft can actuate the two valvesdisposed on each cylinder head of each cylinder. However, in oneexemplary embodiment, the camshaft could be formed so as to cause somethe valves on one or more cylinders to operate in a two-stroke manner.For example, in an inline five cylinder engine, the valves of the firstand fifth cylinders in the engine, for example cylinders 302 and 310,could be operated in a standard four-stroke manner by the camshaft.However, the lobes of the camshafts above cylinders two, three and four,for example cylinders 304, 306 and 308, could be formed so that thesecylinders would be operating in a two-stroke cycle. However, it shouldbe noted that in some other exemplary embodiments, the valves oncylinders 304, 306 and 308 may operate in a four-stroke manner.Cylinders 302 and 310 may be operating on a four-stroke cycle in orderto allow for any initial expansion of gases in one of these cylinders.Additionally, cylinders 304, 306 and 308 may operate on a two-strokecycle to account for any shortened intake duration or time before avalve may be closed to generate vacuum pressure. Additionally, it may benoted that each of cylinders 302-310 may include standard components ofengine cylinders, such as pistons 314, 318, 322, 326 and 330,respectively, and connecting rods 316, 320, 324, 328 and 332,respectively.

In a further exemplary embodiment, expansion chamber 312 may be coupledto any or all of cylinders 302-310. Each of cylinders 302-310 may haveat least one conduit, for example conduits or passages 334, 336, 338,340 and 342, respectively. Conduits 334-342 may be formed in any of avariety of manners, for example formed in manners similar to enginevalves. Further, in some exemplary embodiments, some cylinders may havemore than one conduit that may connect the cylinder with the expansionchamber 312. Additionally, some cylinders may provide inputs to theexpansion chamber 312 while other cylinders may accept inputs from theexpansion chamber 312. For example, in one embodiment, cylinder 302 andcylinder 310 may generate exhaust gases that are inputted to expansionchamber 312 and cylinder 304, cylinder 306 and cylinder 308 may acceptexhaust gases that may have been previously stored in expansion chamber312.

In a further exemplary embodiment, one or more valves and valve seatsmay be machined so as to provide improved sealing and flowingcapabilities. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, theorientation of valve seats may be reversed. Here, valves may be orientedso that any valve springs on cylinders utilizing thermal emissionregeneration, for example cylinders 304, 306 and 308, may be capable ofpushing a valve shut, rather than pulling a valve shut, for example,during an intake or exhaust stroke, or a physical stroke that issubstantially equivalent. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, by having a valvespring 602 push a valve 604 closed, valve seat 606 may remain sealed atthe top of a cylinder 608 and the valve 604 may be prevented from beingdrawn open prior to a desired time. For example, if gases 612 aresupplied to a cylinder 608 utilizing thermal emissions regeneration viaconduit 610, the vacuum created when the gases cool and draw the pistonupwards may cause the valve 604 to also be pulled open in traditionalfour-stroke cylinder orientations. However, with a valve spring 602 thatis positioned to push the valve 604 closed instead of pulling it closed,the valve 604 may remain closed until the it is desired to be openedagain, for example during an intake stroke. Additionally, valve seat 606may be oriented or finished in such as manner as to provide a seal withcylinder 608 in a downward fashion, as opposed to traditional valveseats which may be oriented or finished in such a manner as to provide aseal with a cylinder in an upward fashion.

In yet a further exemplary embodiment, one or more cylinders in apresently existing engine may be converted into one or more cylindersthat may utilize thermal emissions regeneration. Here, an existingcylinder, for example cylinder 304, as shown in FIGS. 3-5 in an existingengine may have one intake valve 402 and one exhaust valve 404. Theintake valve 402 and the exhaust valve 404 may be formed in any knownmanner, for example similar to standard valves for a cylinder on aninternal combustion engine. Also, in some exemplary embodiments, theexhaust valve 404 may be a modified intake valve on a prior art engineand the intake valve 402 may be a modified exhaust valve from a priorart engine; however other exemplary embodiments may utilize valves inany desired or known manner. These valves may be coupled with the one ormore exhaust valves on a cylinder generating the gases that may be usedin thermal emissions regeneration through the use of expansion chamber312. The gases may be fed from the cylinder that generates the hot airor gas, through a conduit, for example conduit 334 and into expansionchamber 312, where the gases may be held. Upon the opening of a valve,for example intake valve 402 on cylinder 304, the gases may be fed intothe cylinder 304 via conduit 336 and the piston 318 may be pusheddownward in the cylinder 304, as shown in FIG. 4. The gases may beinputted into the cylinder 304 in any fashion, for example in a meteredfashion by opening and closing intake valve 402 and coupled to acamshaft (not shown) that may actuate the valves 402 and 404. Thesevalves 402 and 404 may continue to be actuated by one or more lobes of acamshaft for any desired amount of time.

The gases may be metered so as to enter the cylinder 304 during theequivalent of what could be the intake stroke of the four-stroke engine.The immediate presence of the gases may assist in the movement of thepiston 318 to a bottom portion of the cylinder 304, as statedpreviously. Then, as the gases cool in the cylinder 304, a vacuum may becreated and may act to pull the piston 318 upwards, for example during acompression stroke, and as shown in FIG. 5. Thus, in this exemplaryembodiment, less energy may be required from the crankshaft to bothlower and raise the piston in a cylinder when gases are introduced intoa cylinder utilizing thermal emissions regeneration. The introduction ofthe gases in the cylinder 304 can cause the depression of the piston 318in cylinder 304 and the vacuum generated by the cooling of the gases inthe cylinder 304 can act to pull the piston 318 towards the top of thecylinder. Thus the piston 318 can cycle repeatedly up and down withinthe cylinder 304 and therefore the introduction and emission of gasesinto the cylinder 304 can act to rotate crankshaft 408 through thecoupling of piston 318 with connecting rod 320 and rod bearing 406.Thus, rotation of the crankshaft 408 of the engine 300 is performed bythe actuation of five cylinders, as in a traditional five cylinderengine, but rotation is being performed through energy generated by twofour-stroke cylinders, for example cylinders 302 and 310, and threecylinders, for example cylinders 304, 306 and 308, that generate energythrough the use of the emissions of the two four-stroke cylinders.

After the return of the piston 318 to the top of the cylinder 304, onecycle of thermal emissions regeneration may be complete and theremaining gases may be made to exit from the cylinder 304. As describedpreviously, the exhaust valve 404 in this cylinder 304 may be actuatedby a camshaft to open exhaust valve 404 and allow for the release of thecooler gases that generated the vacuum through conduit 410. For example,in one embodiment, a camshaft may be modified so as to release tensionon the one or more exhaust valves at a time when it may be desired torelease cooler gases from the cylinder 304 and may therefore allow forthe exhaustion of the gases remaining in the cylinder 304 throughconduit 410 after a cycle of thermal emissions regeneration iscompleted. Conduit 410 may allow for the release of the gases used inthermal emissions regeneration from the engine, for example through anexhaust system associated with the engine. However, in other exemplaryembodiments, conduit 410 may be routed back to expansion chamber 312 andmay allow for the reuse of the gases that have already been used forthermal emissions regeneration in one or more cylinders. The gas maythen be sent out of the engine through an exhaust system at any desiredtime. The gas released from the engine through the exhaust system maythen contain significantly fewer emissions than other engines, forexample an engine having all of its cylinders running on a four-strokecycle.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, a camshaft may be used that mayactuate the valves for some cylinders in a four-stroke manner and mayactuate the valves for some other cylinders in a two-stroke manner. Forexample, a camshaft utilized with the engine shown in FIG. 3 may beformed in any desired and known manner for the cylinders that areoperating as standard four-stroke cylinders, for example on cylinders302 and 310. However, the lobes of the camshaft that are used to actuatethe valves on the cylinders utilizing thermal emissions regeneration,for example cylinders 304, 306 and 308, may be formed so as to actuatethe valves in a substantially two-stroke manner. As describedpreviously, the one or more valves on a cylinder may be actuated so asto open and allow for the introduction of hot gases into the one or morecylinders. Additionally, the valve may be closed and a seal may beprovided at a time when a desired amount of hot gases have beenintroduced into the one or more cylinders and the hot gases may beallowed to cool within the cylinder or cylinders so as to generate avacuum and allow the piston or pistons to be pulled up towards a topportion of the cylinder or cylinders. After the piston or pistons havebeen pulled to a desired height within the cylinder or cylinders, thecamshaft or camshafts may, in some exemplary embodiments, actuate asecond valve to allow for the exhaust of the gases used to generate thevacuum effect. Additionally, at this time, the first valve may again beopened to allow for the re-introduction of hot gases into the cylinderand renewing the process.

Still other exemplary embodiments may be applied to any type of engine.For example, thermal emissions regeneration and reduction may be used onan engine in any configuration, for example inline engines, “V” engines,“inline V” engines, horizontally opposed engines, rotary engines and “W”engines. Additionally, any of the embodiments described herein may beapplied to an engine used in any desired application, such as anautomobile, motorcycle, industrial equipment, recreational equipment andthe like as known to one having ordinary skill in the art.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate theprinciples, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of theinvention. However, the invention should not be construed as beinglimited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additionalvariations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art.

Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded asillustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should beappreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined by the following claims.

1. A method of reducing emissions and increasing fuel economy in aninternal combustion engine, comprising: generating exhaust gases in afirst cylinder of an internal combustion engine; transporting theexhaust gases from the cylinder to a chamber; storing the exhaust gasesin the chamber; transporting the exhaust gases from the chamber to asecond cylinder; pushing, by pressure supplied by the exhaust gasestransported to the second cylinder, a piston in the second cylinder to abottom portion of the second cylinder; generating a vacuum through thecooling of the exhaust gases in the second cylinder; pulling, by thevacuum, the piston to a top portion of the second cylinder; andreleasing the exhaust gases from the second cylinder.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: opening a first valve coupled with thesecond cylinder for the transporting of the exhaust gases from thechamber to the second cylinder.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising: closing the first valve to create a seal between the valveand the second cylinder as the piston is pushed to the bottom portion ofthe second cylinder.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first valveis actuated by a camshaft.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:actuating, by the camshaft, the first valve into a closed position tocreate the seal between the first valve and the second cylinder.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: opening a second valve coupledwith the second cylinder for the releasing of exhaust gases from thesecond cylinder as the piston is pushed to the top portion of the secondcylinder.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: closing thesecond valve after the piston is pulled to the top portion of the secondcylinder.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second valve is actuatedby a camshaft.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: actuating,by the camshaft, the second valve into a closed position to create theseal between the second valve and the second cylinder.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the exhaust gases are released from the second cylinderto an exhaust system coupled with the engine.
 11. The method of claim 1,wherein the exhaust gases are released from the second cylinder to thechamber.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: turning acrankshaft coupled to the piston in the second cylinder through thepushing of the piston to a bottom portion of the second cylinder and thepulling of the piston to a top portion of the second cylinder.
 13. Asystem for generating power, comprising: at least a first cylinder of anengine that operates in a four-stroke manner and generates exhaustgases; a chamber that receives and stores the exhaust gases generated bythe at least first cylinder; and at least a second cylinder of theengine that receives the exhaust gases from the chamber and that has atleast a first valve, at least a second valve and a piston, wherein theexhaust gases received from the chamber into the at least secondcylinder push the piston down in the at least second cylinder and avacuum generated as the exhaust gases cool in the at least secondcylinder pulls the piston up in the at least second cylinder to generaterotational force on a crankshaft coupled to the at least secondcylinder.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least a first valveis actuated by a camshaft.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the atleast first valve is opened to allow for the at least second cylinder toreceive exhaust gases from the chamber and closed to create a sealbetween the at least first valve and the at least second cylinder. 16.The system of claim 13, wherein the at least second valve is actuated bya camshaft.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least secondvalve is opened to allow for the at least second cylinder to releaseexhaust gases from the chamber and closed to create a seal between theat least second valve and the at least second cylinder.
 18. The systemof claim 13, further comprising: at least a third cylinder of an enginethat operates in a four-stroke manner and generates exhaust gases; andat least a fourth cylinder of an engine that receives the exhaust gasesfrom the chamber and that has at least a third valve, at least a fourthvalve and a piston, wherein the exhaust gases received from the chamberinto the at least fourth cylinder push the piston down in the at leastfourth cylinder and a vacuum generated as the exhaust gases cool in theat least fourth cylinder pulls the piston up in the at least fourthcylinder to generate rotational force on a crankshaft coupled to the atleast fourth cylinder.
 19. A method of reducing and reusing thermalemissions, comprising: means for generating heated exhaust gases; meansfor storing the heated exhaust gases; means for transporting the heatedexhaust gases to a cylinder in an internal combustion engine; and meansfor rotating a crankshaft attached to a piston in the cylinder with theheated exhaust gases.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:means for metering the input and output of exhaust gases into thecylinder.